There was once a king of Argos who

There was once a king of Argos who had a daughter, Danaë. She was growing up and the king was growing old. The Pythia told him that the son of his daughter would cause his death. To prevent this prophecy coming true, he locked his daughter away in a prison made of brass. "Now we shall see that the Pythia does not always tell the truth, " he said.

So Danaë was kept shut up in the prison of brass. She had no one to talk to but her old nurse; she never saw the land or the sea but only the blue sky above the open window, and now and then a white cloud sailing across.

Day after day, she sat under the window and wondered why her father kept her in that lonely place, and whether he would ever come and take her out. Time passed by and Danaë grew fairer every day, and by she was no longer a child, but a tall and beautiful woman; the god Zeus amid the clouds looked down and saw her and loved her.

One day the god Zeus visited Danaë from the sky and he visited the imprisoned girl often - always as a tall and handsome youth. They were married and had a son, called Perseus. In spite of all that he had done, Danaë’s father began to think the words of the Pythia might come true.

So, Danaë and her son Perseus were put to sea in a wooden chest. The king thought that if they died together, the prophecy couldn’t come true. But they didn’t die. After several days at sea, they drifted ashore on a distant island found by a kind man who sheltered and cared for them for many years.

The cruel king of the island wanted to marry the beautiful Danaë and when she refused, he plotted to send Perseus away in revenge. He challenged Perseus to bring him the head of the Medusa. She was one of three monster sisters, with the bodies and faces of women, but with golden wings and terrible brass claws and snakes for hair. Anyone who looked at their faces was instantly turned to stone.

Without weapons or any idea where to find Medusa, Perseus went to the shore to plan his quest. Two mysterious people told him where to set off on his journey and that he must get directions from the Grey Sisters and collect three things from the Maidens of the West before challenging Medusa. He realised the people were the gods Athena and Hermes, although he didn’t understand why they were helping him.

Mercury’s winged sandals flew Perseus to the sisters. These three creatures were so old that they had forgotten their own age, and nobody could count the years that they had lived. The long hair which covered their heads had been grey since they were born; and they had between them only a single eye and a single tooth which they passed back and forth from one to another.

Perseus heard them mumbling and crooning in their dreary home and he stood very still and listened. Tricking them, Perseus made the old women tell him where to travel to find the Western Maidens.

Once more, Perseus put on his winged slippers and set off. When he arrived in the Western Lands, he saw the three maidens of the west guarding a tree which was full of golden apples, and singing as they danced. The tree belonged to Hera, the queen of earth and sky; it had been given to her as a wedding gift, and it was the duty of the maidens to care for it and see that no one touched the golden apples.

Perseus went forward and spoke to the Maidens. Once they heard his plight, they willingly agreed to help him, but they offered not three but four things to help him kill Medusa; a sword, a shield, a magic pouch and a magic cap of invisibility. Once more, he put on the magic slippers and flew off to find Medusa and her gorgon sisters.

With the sharp sword at his side and the bright shield upon his arm, Perseus flew bravely onward in search of the dreadful gorgons; but he had the cap of invisibility upon his head, making him as invisible as the wind.

Cleverly using the shiny shield as a mirror, Perseus saw the reflection of the hideous snake-haired monsters while they slept. Very stealthily , he went nearer and nearer, always with his back towards the monsters and always looking into his bright shield to see where to go. He drew his sharp sword and, dashing quickly, struck a blow, so sure, so swift that the head of Medusa was cut from her shoulders and the black blood gushed like a river from her neck.

Quick as a thought, he thrust the terrible head into his magic pouch and leaped again into the air, and flew away with the speed of a lightning flash. Escaping under his invisibility cap and with the help of his magic slippers, Perseus left the anguished screams of Medusa’s sisters behind him as he made his way to safety.